Elimination of organic matter present in wastewaters from the cork industry by membrane filtration

BACKGROUND: The first stage of the cork industrial process generates great volumes of wastewater with moderate to high organic pollutant content that must be purified using different procedures, such as filtration by membranes. RESULTS: The tangential filtration of these wastewaters was studied using two different laboratory equipments. In the first one, three ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were tested, with molecular weight cut‐off (MWCO) 100 kDa and 30 kDa, and two operating modes were used: total recycling of permeate and retentate streams, and in continuous mode, without recycling both streams. In the total recycling UF experiments, the influence of the operating variables on the permeate flux was first established. The effectiveness of the different membranes was determined by evaluating the rejection coefficients for several parameters that measure the global pollutant content of the effluent. The values found for these rejection coefficients were in the following order: ellagic acid and color > absorbance at 254 nm > tannic content > COD (chemical oxygen demand). In the continuous mode experiments, the fouling mechanism for each membrane was established by fitting the experimental data to various filtration fouling models given in the literature. The operating mode in the second equipment was batch concentration, and additional experiments were carried out with an UF membrane (2 kDa), and with a NF membrane (with MWCO in the range 150–300 Da). CONCLUSIONS: The three operating modes tested provided different rejection levels of organic matter; among them, the most effective procedure tested was batch concentration mode using a NF membrane. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

An advanced treatment of high-strength opium alkaloid processing industry wastewaters with membrane technology: pretreatment, fouling and retention characteristics of membranes

This paper presents the results of the laboratory and pilot-scale membrane experiments of opium alkaloid processing industry effluents. Different types of ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes were evaluated for membrane fouling, permeate flux and their suitability in separating COD, color and conductivity. Experiments demonstrated that membrane treatment is a very promising advanced treatment option for pollution control for opium alkaloid processing industry effluents. Almost complete color removal was achieved with NF and RO membranes. COD and conductivity removals were also greater than 95% and met the current local standards. Nevertheless, pretreatment was an important factor for the NF and RO membrane applications. Membrane fouling occurred with direct NF membrane applications without UF pretreatment. The total estimated cost of the UF and NF treatment system was calculated as $0.96/m³, excluding the concentrate disposal cost.     

Ultrafiltration of Wastewater from Isolated Soy Protein Production: Fouling Tendencies and Mechanisms

Membrane separation processes appear to be a good alternative in wastewater treatment systems. One of the biggest limitations is the decrease in permeate flux, which is caused mostly by concentration polarization and fouling phenomena. The extent of these phenomena are dependent on the interactions between the different solution compounds, membrane-solution interactions, and the operating conditions. The fouling tendencies of three different commercial tubular ceramic membranes (5, 20, and 50 kDa) during the ultrafiltration of an isolated soy protein (ISP) wastewater were evaluated through determination of the water permeate flux before and after the wastewater ultrafiltration and using Hermia's Model. The wastewater from ISP production is a complex solution characterized by a very high organic load: reaches COD values greater than 18,000 mg · L^?1. The wastewater proteins are small molecules (8 to 50 kDa) that could not be removed during the industrial processing. The recovery of these small proteins and their return to the ISP production process would result in both economical and environmental benefits by increasing the final product yield and reducing significantly the wastewater organic load. All the membranes tested presented a large fouling tendency: 65% (5 kDa membrane), 69% (20 kDa membrane) and 76% (50 kDa membrane). The best fit to Hermia's Model for all of the UF membranes was obtained by the complete blocking model.     

微细通道内CO2沸腾换热与干涸特性

CO₂作为一种天然制冷剂在微通道内应用具有很大的换热优势,然而由于微尺度效应及其物性,在低干度区容易发生干涸,严重影响换热效果。为研究微细通道内CO₂流动沸腾换热与干涸特性,搭建了相应实验装置,对内径分别为1mm、2mm、3mm以及内表面粗糙度为16μm的不锈钢管,在CO₂制冷剂热流密度2~34kW/m²、质量流率50~1350kg/(m²·s)、饱和温度-10~15℃下进行换热性能与干涸实验对比研究。结果表明:常规管径换热特性在微细通道内不再适用;热流密度的增加对于强化核态沸腾换热具有显著影响,高于临界热流密度(critical heat flux,CHF)则发生干涸;质量流率对于核态沸腾区换热系数的影响则较小;不同饱和温度时换热特性有所不同,高饱和温度下换热系数随其升高而提高,低饱和温度下则相反;干涸过程对总换热系数的影响占34%。研究结论为CO₂微通道换热器的研究开发提供理论依据。     

A Compatible Membrane Process for Separation and Concentration of Pediocin PA-1 from Fermentation Broth

This work describes an effective combined ultrafiltration (UF)-nanofiltration (NF) membrane process for the separation and concentration of pediocin PA-1 from fermentation broth. Three polysulfone (PS) membranes with MWCOs of 5, 10, and 30 kDa were tested for ultrafiltration effectiveness. The 10 kDa membrane was selected because it displayed high permeability, good pediocin PA-1 recovery and reduced fouling. When the volume concentration factor (VCF) of UF reached 2.5, continuous diafiltration (DF) was carried out. The optimal diafiltration factor (DFF) was 1. The permeate obtained from UF was then concentrated by NF. When the VCF of NF reached 4.5, pediocin PA-1 recovery loss was only 10.5%. This two-stage membrane process improved the loading solutions by 4.5-fold, allowing up to 71.6% recovery of pediocin PA-1. After the membrane process, the NF retentate could be concentrated and subjected to preparative chromatography to obtain purified pediocin PA-1, or it could be dried to obtain a rich pediocin PA-1 preservative.     

膜分离技术在垃圾渗滤液处理中的应用

垃圾渗滤液是一种重污染的有毒有机废水,对生态环境造成了严重的威胁。本文综述了垃圾渗滤液现有的膜处理技术,与传统处理工艺相比,膜技术具有低能高效等优点,是未来渗滤液处理技术的重要发展方向。由于垃圾渗滤液组成的复杂性,根据不同处理目的,微滤膜(MF)、超滤膜(UF)、纳滤膜(NF)和反渗透膜(RO)4种膜在垃圾渗滤液处理中都得到了一定的应用。总结发现,其中MF和UF对渗滤液的处理效果较差,一般作为渗滤液的预处理技术;NF和RO对渗滤液的处理效果较好,主要作为其深度处理技术。然而,膜污染阻碍了膜技术在渗滤液处理方面的发展与应用,为此可通过研究开发新型膜材料、有效的预处理技术和膜分离工艺优化等方面来防止膜污染的发生,以便膜技术在渗滤液及其他水处理方面得到更加广泛的应用。     

Stainless steel membrane UF coupled with NF process for the recovery of sodium hydroxide from alkaline wastewater in chitin processing

The recovery of sodium hydroxide from alkali wastewater in chitin processing was investigated using stainless steel ultrafiltration membrane (SSM) and HDS-04 nanofiltration (NF) membranes with membrane area of 0.35 m² and 1.4 m², respectively. Flux behaviors were observed with respect to filtration time, volumetric concentration ratio (VCR), operating pressure, temperature, and cleaning. As the VCR increased, the permeate flux declined while almost the same concentration of NaOH was permeable. The SSM and NF operations end with a concentrated protein solution that needed a small amount of waste acid for neutralization and easy spray drying and the permeate of the NaOH solution can be reused. Concentrations of NaOH that govern reusability of permeate were measured to be independent on VCR. The most suitable VCRs for SSM and NF in terms of maintaining relatively good membrane productivity and high rejection of protein and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were approximately 50. At a VCR of 50, the total rejections of protein, COD and suspended solid (SS) were 82.5%, 94% and 100%, respectively, while total NaOH recovery was 96% with SSM average flux 270 LMH and NF average flux 25 LMH. SSM filtration was essential for the pretreatment of the alkali wastewater before it was fed into the NF system.     

Influence of filtration conditions on the performance of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes in dairy wastewater treatment

Filtration performance and fouling of nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes in the treatment of dairy industry wastewater were investigated. Two series of experiments were performed. The first one involved a NF membrane (TFC-S) for treating the chemical-biological treatment plant effluents. The second one used a RO membrane (TFC-HR) for treating the original effluents from the dairy industry. The permeate flux was higher at higher transmembrane pressures and higher feed flowrates. The curves of permeate flux exhibited a slower increase while the feed flowrate decreased and the pressure increased. Membrane fouling resulted in permeate flux decline with increasing the feed COD concentration. Furthermore, the flux decline due to the COD increase was found higher at higher pressures for both NF and RO membranes.     

Performance evaluation of pretreatment processes in integrated membrane system for wastewater reuse

A series of lab-scale filtration experiments were performed under various operating conditions to investigate the fouling behavior of microfiltration (MF) membranes when employing two different pretreatment methods. The secondary effluents from a biologically advanced treatment process were fed to each hybrid system, consisting of coagulation-flocculation-MF (CF-MF) and ozonation-MF processes. All experiments were carried out using a stirred-cell system, which consisted of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) MF membranes with a 0.22 μm pore size. When MF membrane was used alone without any pretreatment, the permeate flux dropped significantly. However, in the case of employing polyaluminium chloride (PACl) coagulation and ozonation as a pretreatment, the extent of flux decline rates was enhanced up to 88 and 38%, respectively. In the CF-MF hybrid system, the removal efficiencies of COD and total phosphorus were significantly enhanced at a coagulant dose above 30 mg/L. With ozonation, more than 90% of the color was removed even at a low dosage of ozone (5 mg/L). Therefore, ozonation would be strongly recommended as a pretreatment in terms of removing organic matter. The permeate water quality by ozonation-MF process was in good compliance with the guidelines for wastewater reuse proposed by South Korean Ministry of Environment.     

The influence of degreasing agents used at car washes on the performance of ultrafiltration membranes

The influence of washing chemicals used at car washes on the flux and retention of three ultrafiltration (UF) membranes has been studied. Eleven commercial degreasing agents, two shampoo agents and a wax were included in the investigation. The membrane performance when treating waste water collected at a car wash at different times of the year was also studied. The retention of the different chemicals varied greatly, but there was no significant difference in COD retention among the three UF membranes. The highest flux was observed when treating the alkaline degreasing agents and the shampoo solutions. The flux and COD retention when treating the waste water from the car wash were 30–50 l/m ² h and 60%, respectively. One of the low-retention degreasing agents was treated by nanofiltration (NF). The retention was significantly higher when using NF, but the COD concentration in the permeate was still too high to allow the permeate to be discharged without further treatment.     

Critical flux analyses on differently pretreated olive vegetation waste water streams: Some case studies

One of the main disadvantages of batch membrane processes is the increase of the pollutant concentration in the feedstock throughout the operation. Operating the plant at constant process conditions leads in many cases to weaker performances and, moreover, to heavy fouling on the membranes. Critical flux-based methods are one of the most used approaches to overcome fouling problems. Within critical flux conditions, only reversible fouling can occur, which can be periodically soft-cleaned.This work studies the relationship between particle size distributions in the feed stream and critical flux values when different pretreatment processes are applied to an olive vegetation waste water stream. The considered pretreatment processes were: coagulation (with aluminum hydroxide and aluminum sulphate), aerobic biodigestion (by means of fungi) and photocatalytic organic matter reduction (by means of nanometric titanium dioxide anatase powders irradiated by UV light). The study was carried out at pilot plant scale (100 L batch capacity).These results were compared with performances and effects on the critical flux value for MF, UF and NF membranes. The different pretreatment on the same waste water stream shifts differently the particle size distribution mainly by organic matter degradation, and this influences heavily the critical flux value and thus the filtration outcome.Finally, the purification of the olive vegetation waste water stream can be performed with a MF, UF, NF and RO membrane system in series, being very careful in choosing the correct operating conditions to avoid the quick formation of an unsustainable fouling.     

Color and COD retention by nanofiltration membranes

In the present study the application of the nanofiltration process was investigated mainly in the retention ofcolor and chemical oxygen demand (COD) present in textile industry wastewater. Nanofiltration experiments were carried out in a pilot unit, operating in crossflow. Three different types of spiral wound membranes, DK 1073, NF 45 and MPS 31 were used simultaneously in the same unit. The results of the tests showed that for color retention, the values were around 99% for the DK 1073 and NF 45 membranes and the 87% for COD retention for the DK 1073. The permeate flux for the different wastewaters varied from 30.5 to 70 L/h.m². Fouling was observed in all membranes due to the accumulation of molecular species close to the filtering surface. The process was efficient and promising for the reuse of wastewater from this type of industry.     

UF,NF处理酵母废水可行性研究

采用ＵＦ或ＮＦ技术可以处理酵母生产中不同阶段高浓度有机物的废水，废水经ＵＦ膜处理可１００％回收酵母蛋白等成份，对色度浊度具有〉９０％的去除率，从浓缩液中回收的酵母蛋白等成份，经进一步浓缩干燥可作动物饲料添加剂，干燥物蛋白质含量〉３０％，膜透过液含有发酵过程所需的营养成分，可重新用于发酵生产用水。废水用ＮＦ膜处理对ＣＯＤ去除率〉９０％并接近或达到排放标准，对于直接从发酵液中经高速离心分离的酵母废水（     

Processing of black liquors by UF/NF ceramic membranes

This study deals with the treatment of black liquor from wood pulping by means of membranes. UF/NFmembranes with a skin layer of TiO₂ and ZrO₂ have been applied to recover water and to concentrate the residual effluent. Three different membranes with molecular weight cut-off of 1, 5 and 15 kDa have been checked. The membranes have been tested either in single stage operation or in cascade. Total dissolved solids, organic matter, organic to mineral matter ratio and ash have been determined. In addition, chemical oxygen demand (COD) retention was calculated by measuring in the feed solution as well as in the permeate and in the concentrated solution. During the concentration step the steady state was reached after a few minutes running. There was not significant change in the permeate flow until the volume was reduced at half. Only the 15,000 Da membrane showed continuous permeate flow declining. Regardless the membrane used, dry matter, organic matter and COD analyses showed that the retention of organic substances fell in the range of 60-70%, depending on the conditions selected.     

Reducing pollution from the deliming–bating operation in a tannery. Wastewater reuse by microfiltration membranes

This paper presents experimental results from the implementation of two measures aimed at reducing the nitrogen concentration in a tannery wastewater. Specifically, this research has focused on the wastewater from the deliming/bating operations. The proposed measures are the replacement of ammonium salts by carbon dioxide in the deliming process and the reuse of wastewater and chemicals after membrane filtration of the deliming/bating liquor. The experimental study covered different wastewater pretreatment alternatives and experiments with two membranes (with different separation properties): one in the range of microfiltration (MF) and one in the range of the ultrafiltration (UF). Results of the pretreatment study indicated that neither settling nor protein precipitation were feasible. Only a security filtration prior to membrane filtration was recommended. The tested MF membrane was selected due to the higher flux (around 25 L/(m² h)) in comparison with the UF membrane. The MF permeate was successfully reused in the deliming/bating process. The delimed leather quality was excellent according to both visual and organoleptic inspection from process technicians and phenolphthalein test, confirming the technical feasibility of the proposal. Globally, the implementation of the above mentioned two measures resulted in 53% total nitrogen reduction.     

Threshold flux measurement of an ultrafiltration membrane module in the treatment of two-phase olive mill wastewater

The critical and threshold flux theories represent an important advance in membrane knowledge. Comprehension of the flux behavior of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes is key to control the fouling issues during the steady operation of the plant. In this regard, differing between critical or threshold flux patterns in the treatment of wastewater effluents by UF is relevant to confirm the level of fouling expected and to verify if no fouling is predictable or if certain amount of fouling cannot be avoided. In the present study, the hydrodynamic behavior of a polymeric UF membrane was analyzed by means of both critical and threshold flux theories and diverse patterns were found depending on the feedstock pollutants concentration and particle size distribution. Results obtained from the pressure-cycling experiments point for a threshold flux pattern in the case of UF of the effluent derived from the extraction process (OMW) disregarding the applied pretreatment, whereas for 1:1 (v/v) mixture of the latter with the wastewater from the fruit washing (OWW) the membrane fits a critical flux trend, indistinctly of the performed pretreatment too, with negligible fouling below the critical conditions. These conclusions are supported by the experimental permeate flux profiles during batch-run operation experiments.     

Ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes applied to the removal of the pharmaceuticals amoxicillin,naproxen, metoprolol and phenacetin from water

BACKGROUND: In the removal of pharmaceuticals present in aquatic systems by membrane processes, some important issues must be explored in order to obtain a better knowledge of the global process. Among these issues, a better understanding of the influences of the operating parameters on the membrane flux, an analysis of membrane resistances and fouling, and determination of the removal of specific substances, must be studied. RESULTS: Four selected pharmaceuticals (amoxicillin, naproxen, metoprolol and phenacetin) were subjected to ultrafiltration (UF) and nanofiltration (NF) processes for their removal from several water matrices. The determined permeate fluxes at the steady state were affected by the main operating conditions: molecular weight cut‐off (MWCO) of the membrane, transmembrane pressure TMP, cross‐flow velocity and temperature. The retention coefficients with the UF membranes followed the sequence naproxen > metoprolol > amoxicillin > phenacetin, and with the NF membranes, followed the trend: amoxicillin > naproxen > metoprolol > phenacetin, due to the role of other mechanisms such as size exclusion and electrostatic repulsion. In the case of the selected water matrices, the retention coefficient was referred to some quality parameters (total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand and absorbance at 254 nm), leading to moderate (UF) or high (NF) removals of the organic matter content. CONCLUSIONS: The NF CK membrane achieved the highest retention of these pharmaceuticals (excepting phenacetin), and provided retentions for quality parameters around 80% in the four water systems tested. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

膜技术在饮用水除砷中的应用研究进展

以低压驱动膜的微滤膜(MF)与超滤膜(UF),和高压驱动膜的反渗透膜(RO)与纳滤膜(NF)为主,分析了目前国内外膜技术在饮用水除砷方面的效果、影响因素、浓水处理、膜污染及其清洗等方面的应用研究和进展情况,同时对膜技术优缺点及其在除砷中的应用研究方向与前景做了展望.     

A comprehensive review of nanofiltration membranes:Treatment, pretreatment, modelling, and atomic force microscopy

Nanofiltration membranes (NF) have applications in several areas. One of the main applications has been in watertreatment for drinking water production as well as wastewater treatment. NF can either be used to treat all kinds of water including ground, surface, and wastewater or used as a pretreatment for desalination. The introduction of NF as a pretreatment is considered a breakthrough for the desalination process. NF membranes have been shown to be able to remove turbidity, microorganisms and hardness, as well as a fraction of the dissolved salts. This results in a significantly lower operating pressure and thus provides a much more energy-efficient process. Similar to other membrane processes, a major problem in NF membrane applications is fouling. Several studies have investigated the mechanisms of fouling in NF membranes and suggested methods to minimize and control the fouling of NF membranes. For NF membrane characterizations and process prediction, modeling of NF processes and the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) are very important. The ability to predict the performance of NF processes will lead to a lower number of experiments, saving of time and money, and help to understand the separation mechanisms during NF. A comprehensive review of NF in water treatments is presented including a review of the applications of NF in treating water as well as in the pretreatment process for desalination; the mechanism as well as minimization of NF membrane fouling problems; and theories for modelling and transport of salt, charged and noncharged organic compounds in NF membranes. The review will also address the application of AFM in studying the morphology of membrane surfaces as part of the NF membrane characterization.     

垃圾渗滤液生化出水絮凝-纳滤处理及过程机理

垃圾焚烧发电厂渗滤液是一种含高浓度腐殖酸类物质和高盐含量的复杂有机废水, 传统生化处理后仍难达标排放。本工作围绕垃圾渗滤液生化出水的特性, 开展了Ca(OH)₂絮凝、臭氧氧化预处理与NF处理相结合的处理工艺, 并对处理过程的机理进行了探讨。研究表明, 渗滤液生化出水经过Ca(OH)₂絮凝处理, 可以有效地去除其中的杂环类化合物。生化出水经8 g·L^-1的Ca(OH)₂絮凝处理后, 比MBR出水产水通量提高达8.2%。对Ca(OH)₂絮凝出水进行臭氧氧化处理, 虽然降低了它的COD, 但并未进一步提高其NF膜通量, 其主要原因可能是臭氧氧化生成的硅氧烷类物质造成了膜的污染;与RO处理垃圾渗滤液生化出水相比较, NF膜无法分离废水中的酮类、胺和酰胺类、杂环类化合物, 使得NF产水的COD处在100~160 mg·L^-1。NF平均膜通量的增大可导致产水COD略有上升;垃圾渗滤液生化出水及其预处理水在NF处理过程中, 都没有表现出严重的膜污染。